As the holidays are returning to full swing this year, Target and Starbucks are leading the way for a more authentically diverse approach to their marketing campaigns.  These campaigns are spotlighting the theme of togetherness while skillfully avoiding problematic potholes and backlashes. 

Consumers want to be authentically recognized and represented by the brands they’re supporting. But they don’t just want to be shown surface level tokenism, they want to see intersectionality, of how people show up beyond just the color of their skin, or how they identify with a particular culture.

Target followed through with their 30-second spot that showed a diverse cast come together for a wide range of holiday celebrations, from Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving to Christmas, Hanukkah and Diwali.

Starbucks is also moving away from Christmas as their main holiday theme to embrace a broader concept of gift giving at its main spotlight. This year, they’re also debuting a wintry lilac color along side their traditional red and green cups. This new cup aims to be more inclusive to people with disabilities, specifically red-green colorblindness that affects about one in 12 men and one in 200 women. 

Brands that are making serious commitments to being more diverse can and should roll out inclusive holiday campaigns, ensuring marketing teams are aligned with corporate goals and can take risks and not shy away from approaches that will have more impact. They should also be aware of potential blowback, but it is important to stand by their campaigns and show consumer where they stand on their values.

Source: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/brands-inclusive-holiday-marketing-campaigns-inspiration/610369/